Mary Rose enjoyed over 35 years as a costume designer for numerous feature films, long-form and series television. Rose also co-produced several educational programs, including a special on the history of Hollywood Costume Designers for NHK, Japan. Raised in post-WWII Japan, Rose attended Kyoritu-Gakuen, a private girls' school in Tokyo, and held a B.A. in Fine Arts from San Francisco State University. Her involvement with the Television Academy began in the early 1970s. Rose was elected governor of the Costume Design & Supervision Peer Group in 1998, 2000 and again in 2004. In 2002 she was elected to the Academy’s Executive Committee.

She was the first chair of the (2002-2003) Television Cares Committee, spearheading events that benefitted Dress For Success to empower underserved and financially challenged women; created the annual Art of Television Costume Design and the Costume Design and Supervision Peer Group nominee reception as part of the opening gala; and really worked tirelessly to grow her peer group.

A member of the Costume Designers Guild, Local 892, Rose served as an executive officer since 1992. In 2006 Rose received the CDG’s first Distinguished Service Award and in October 2010 was elected president of the Costume Designers Guild for a second term.